Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-12
WORSE THAN EVER
REPORT OF rHE INSPECTORS OF TEE
CITY JAIL.
No Provision Of the Law Complied
with-New Jail Absolutely
Indispensable.

The following was submitted to Judge
Atkins yesterday:
Hon. Thomas =. Atkins, Judgc OF me
Hastings Court Of the city Of R'ch-
mOHd:
The undersigned, appointed by your
order of July 5, 1887, examiners Tor
the purpose OF inspecting the present
conditisn of the jail of this city" and
who were required "to report at this
term what is necessary to be done to
said jail to make it secure and sufficient
for the custody Of the prisoners con-
fined therein. and safe from danger by
fire." having inspected the said jail,
beg leave to submit the following re-
port
In the opinion of your examiners the
physical condition of the jail Is at the
present time even worse than it was
stated to be by the grand jury OF your
court in their report to you on the 18th
Day Of April, 1856, and upon which re-
port your Honor awarded rule against
the Council of the city OF Richmond to
show cause why q writ of mandamus
should not issue requiring it to erect
lawfully-suhicient Jail for the city in
compliance with the recommendations
of the grand jury.
Not a single requirement Of section
,. chapter 80, of the Code OF Virginia,
in regard to jails, is met in the Jail OF
the city OF Richmond. Nor is it posi-
ble to so alter the present building as
TO comply with those provisions of law
requiring separate apartments for GER
tain classes of prisoners, and for all
convenient ntaccommodation and COM
fort. A new building is an immediate
necessity, and sbonld be erected both
in obedience to the law of the State
and in response to the claim which even
the unfortunate wretches confined IN
our Jail have upon our common human
ity. 80.
Meanwhile. and until new building
fhall he provided, we recommend
that the eastern wall of the Jail be
strengthened or rebuilt, and that all
the water-closets, wash-rooms, and
water-apparatus OF every kind be
thoroughly renewed or repaired.
For the safe removal Of the prisoners
and for the protection Of the building
in case Of fire, We recommend that II
way of escape for the women be made
in the resr of their apartment through
the southern wall 10y means OF iron
steps. and that the door aud gallery at
the front he also made an available way
of escape by Il door through the south
ern wall on a lcyelwith the jailers Office
floor. And for the men in the lower
cells, 10y an opening from the office yard
through the southern wall into space
10 be enclosed with fence twenty feet
high. 10 this space all the prisoners
can he quickly removed and secured
until the danger is passed. And for
! the cxtinguishmcut Of fire siX-inch
stand pipe should be erected in the
Office yard. with an opening IN the
yard and another opening on the gallery
above. each opening being supplied
with fifty feet of hose and flexible
nozzle.
We recommend as preventive of
fire. to which the building IS now ex-
posed from the heating and cooking
apparatus, that everything pertaining
10 the heating department be
overhauled and put III good order, the
| ceiling of the bOilcr-rOom be plastered,
and all the steps in the room be re-
placed 10y iron steps. The oven should
have a new floor and a new covering OF
bricks. the furnaces be repaired, the
ceiling of the room plastered, and the
shelves in this and the bOiler-room DE
Of slate on iron brackets.
II. X. ELLYsoN,
ALBERT l.. WEST,
john Bowers,
GEORGE A. AINsIIE,
+. WHEY DAVIS,
Examiners.
THE CODE.
Section ,, chapter 30 of the Code,
referred TO above, is Every jail
shall be we'll secured and sufficient
for the convenient accommodation oil
those who NAV he confined therein, SC
that convicts and those not cOnylcts
may be in apartments separate from
each other and from the other prison
crs. Each apartment shall be 50 con
structod that it can be kept comfort
able. The jail shall be kept in good
repair
The Judge took the report under ad
visemcnt. He will No doubt take some
action to-day.
lie Wants Il Burned.
One Of the examiner who IS an an
thority on fre-mattcrs, said to Dis
gQfch reporter Yesterday: "The jail Il
a disgrace, and if were sent there on
any charge, would plead to be takeL
to the penitentiary instead. The jan
was built over fifty years ago, wher
the population Of Richmond was one
fourth Of what it is to-day
and then only white people wert
confined in it, the negroes Slaves be
ing whipped for their offences. Ever
when man is sent there on suspicion
he is plunged right i'll amongst all the
velmin which are there. All | want t.
see done is to put up the tire-escape:
recommended, SO as to save the liyei
and secure the prisoners, and then
want to see the Jail burned TO th,
ground. so that the city will be bounC
to build new Jail.
THE OLD FIRST ASSOCIATION.
Reunion the 18th Officers Elected
Captain LawsOn's Case.
The association of the survivors 0
the old First Virginia regiment held